Elijah Taylor

[Bloody Hell]

I have another comment, trying to stick to the topic of ET rather than the wider social issues: there is a risk that if we keep Elijah, he will be booed, potentially even by Swans fans. This would be a disastrous scenario for both the club and Elijah. So, the more I think about it, the more I think the club is going to have to do some explaining. I think it's reasonable to expect that Elijah will have to do a fair bit of media and talk about his use of violence, why it happened and what he's done to make sure it won't happen again. This wouldn't necessarily happen immediately but I think will need to happen before he takes the field again.

Another way of looking at the situation is that the delay by the club is not because we are thinking of keeping him but because we are waiting for the legal system to run its course before we use his crimes as a basis for tearing up his contract. I would have thought his plea of guilt would be enough but I can also see an argument for letting the court case come to its final conclusion before we respond formally. I hope the list managers have some clarity about the club's intentions, even if we don't.

I presume that's a rhetorical question. I will limit myself in what I say to the following, because I don't want to drag this thread off topic:

I accept that there may be a range of views people may hold around this issue. Personally, I'm not a hardliner. I'm not a guy who says "well, you've done a terrible thing therefore you must be a terrible person and that can never be changed". I think it's more valuable to seek to have all parties understand why the terrible thing was done. This is does not excuse doing terrible things and does not mean there should not be consequences for doing terrible things, but it is more valuable than just writing someone off, end of story. If you do that, not only are opportunities for all parties to learn lost, but also there is a greater risk of terrible actions being repeated (whether by the same person or others).

If the club retains ET they must strip him of #37. Otherwise they will be faced with thousands of furious Swans supporters.

This is why the furthering of the relationship is untenable.

You either have to stand behind him 100% or let him go. Standing behind him means he has to keep the same jersey and he will be booooed incessantly for the rest of his career. Micky O were rumours and accusations. ET's situation will be a charge and conviction.

Though these guys are young men within society, they are something else also. In Australia, sportsmen are elevated.They are characters in a pantomime. ET - through his own actions is cast as a villain, I can't see what can be done for that to change. Even if he became Mother Theresa, his lot is cast, people don't forget.

The Swans have an excellent brand that is associated with being a family club. I cannot see why they'd risk associating themselves with ET. Sure, support him off the field, they may have to pay the rest of his contract, but I can't see him wearing the red and the white of this club again.

[bloodspirit]

Such a thorny issue. I agree with most of what you have posted, Bloody Hell, although I'm not sure that it is a fait accompli that he would be booed for the rest of his career. It's possible, although I fear unlikely, he won't be booed at all. More possibly, he could be booed for a while, which he'd just have to cop with the best grace and fortitude he can muster, repeatedly acknowledge his mistakes and say that it's his job to atone for them and to win back people's trust, and maybe, after a time, the boos will fade away and be replaced by whatever he does next. But you're right. It's never going to be forgotten. And it will follow him around the rest of his career to some degree. If he wants to keep going, he'll have to reckon with that.

I'll be watching with interest to see what happens next Wednesday when he is sentenced. If the sentence is severe that will make the club's decision easy. More likely though, it will be an in between kind of result that leaves us with a choice to make. I expect the club will have mostly made up their mind about what they'll do in that context.

How many other players have had to deal with criminal pasts? I can think of a couple of examples where there were accusations that didn't conclude with convictions: Mickey O, Stephen Milne come to mind. Gary Ablett Snr? I'm sure there are many more. Liam Jurrah didn't play again at AFL level after being convicted of similar offences. I found this list which provide more examples (focusing only on proven crimes that were punished): https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/afl-players-punished-by-the-courts.668143/. However, I didn't look into it deeply enough to see whether any of these players continued to play after their convictions. I think we can also draw a distinction between even quite serious drink driving offences compared to serious assaults.

[barry]

This is why the furthering of the relationship is untenable.

You either have to stand behind him 100% or let him go. Standing behind him means he has to keep the same jersey and he will be booooed incessantly for the rest of his career. Micky O were rumours and accusations. ET's situation will be a charge and conviction.

No one outside of us would know who he is. He wont get booed, unless of course he starts relaying a few home truths about our society, then it will be all-in.

[stevoswan]

No one outside of us would know who he is. He wont get booed, unless of course he starts relaying a few home truths about our society, then it will be all-in.

+1

I agree....I just don't think other clubs fans even pay enough attention to the Swans to have a clue who he is and indeed, what he's done. They may have more of a clue after next Wednesday but by the time next season starts, they will have moved on.....and if we retain him, he will surely let only his footy do the talking.....if he has half a brain.

[Bloods05]

No one outside of us would know who he is. He wont get booed, unless of course he starts relaying a few home truths about our society, then it will be all-in.

Well said Barry. That was Goodesy's crime.

[Thunder Shaker]

ET could seek redemption by accepting his punishment, making some kind of formal apology, playing well in his career, and becoming a public speaker against domestic violence. He could end up doing a lot to reduce this scourge by taking a leadership role in the community.

I don't believe for a second that he should escape just punishment. He should receive a fair punishment in accordance with the law and within the AFL's rules. It's what happens afterwards that matters. He should be given a chance at redemption, but it should be made clear that this is the only chance that will be given.

[bloodspirit]

ET could seek redemption by accepting his punishment, making some kind of formal apology, playing well in his career, and becoming a public speaker against domestic violence. He could end up doing a lot to reduce this scourge by taking a leadership role in the community.

I don't believe for a second that he should escape just punishment. He should receive a fair punishment in accordance with the law and within the AFL's rules. It's what happens afterwards that matters. He should be given a chance at redemption, but it should be made clear that this is the only chance that will be given.

Quality post.

[Bloods05]

Quality post.

Yes indeed.

[Melbourne_Blood]

ET could seek redemption by accepting his punishment, making some kind of formal apology, playing well in his career, and becoming a public speaker against domestic violence. He could end up doing a lot to reduce this scourge by taking a leadership role in the community.

I don't believe for a second that he should escape just punishment. He should receive a fair punishment in accordance with the law and within the AFL's rules. It's what happens afterwards that matters. He should be given a chance at redemption, but it should be made clear that this is the only chance that will be given.

His shot at redemption should not come at AFL level though ( not saying you said it should ) , he’s burnt that chance for now. Go back to the lower leagues and prove you deserve a chance at redemption. Work hard, improve his attitude towards women, repent. No way he deserves to stay on an AFL list. Quarantine breach first , then at least one act of violence against women ( still unclear on whether there were 2 seperate incidents). You get a chance but you don’t get two ( or three)


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[Melbourne_Blood]

Actually In all honesty, it should be a 1 and done policy in terms of violence against women for professional sports people. It’s a plague on our society. What message does it send when we give these people chances? A @@@@ing poor one ! Major sports codes need to take a stand on this. No excuses. Our women deserve better than excuses.


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[Melbourne_Blood]

No more excuses . We feed into the problem by making excuses!

Quick facts - Our Watch


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[Melbourne_Blood]

I’m actually pretty appalled at how this is being discussed on here. This forum is really progressive on some issues, but on something like this it seems there is ‘wiggle room’. He didn’t drink drive, didn’t do some coke in the bathroom at a bar in Bondi, he bashed his partner up. Terrorised her in a hotel room. She couldn’t leave. Do the women on here think that is okay ? Do the men ? ( he plead guilty to this to before the ‘ allegedly’ comments come in ).

Are we only interested in being progressive when it’s a race thing ? and we can feel good by flying our progressive flag ? It’s black and white with racism but it’s a grey area with violence against women ?



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[Legs Akimbo]

No more excuses . We feed into the problem by making excuses!

Quick facts - Our Watch


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I can see both sides of this. Zero tolerance of any violence including violence against women specifically. Opportunity for redemption has to be given. Cancel culture is pretty awful.

My question to you is how did you respond to Michael O'Loughlin's actions a couple of decades ago? If you have any doubts about this, read Michael O'Loughlin - Wikipedia

Why did he pay rhe woman money?

[stevoswan]

I’m actually pretty appalled at how this is being discussed on here. This forum is really progressive on some issues, but on something like this it seems there is ‘wiggle room’. He didn’t drink drive, didn’t do some coke in the bathroom at a bar in Bondi, he bashed his partner up. Terrorised her in a hotel room. She couldn’t leave. Do the women on here think that is okay ? Do the men ? ( he plead guilty to this to before the ‘ allegedly’ comments come in ).

Are we only interested in being progressive when it’s a race thing ? and we can feel good by flying our progressive flag ? It’s black and white with racism but it’s a grey area with violence against women ?

One. It's not 'progressive' to be anti racist.....it's just right.

Two. We're are you getting all these 'facts' re: Taylor? I don't doubt them nor do I believe all of them.....yet.

Three. If they are indeed facts, we should let him go.....his road to redemption should be family supported, not the responsibility of our club. I know he has pleaded guilty to something completely unacceptable, I just don't want to see him crucified by rumour.

[Melbourne_Blood]

One. It's not 'progressive' to be anti racist.....it's just right.

Two. We're are you getting all these 'facts' re: Taylor? I don't doubt them nor do I believe all of them.....yet.

Three. If they are indeed facts, we should let him go.....his road to redemption should be family supported, not the responsibility of our club. I know he has pleaded guilty to something completely unacceptable, I just don't want to see him crucified by rumour.

Yes Stevo you are right, I worded that poorly. I just feel that it is right to condemn violence against women as strongly as we condemn racism. No excuses, no justifying. No place at our club or in society.

Re: the “facts”, well they aren’t facts, these were the disturbing allegations levelled on social media by his ex partner Lekahni Pearce ( who was the one involved in the quarantine breach in WA ) . It is unclear if that is the incident he has been charged over, there is conflicting media reports in regard to this. An article in the age says they were two seperate incidents ( one in a Sydney, one in Perth) , another article via the abc suggests the charge relates directly to the Pearce allegations on social media. So I shouldn’t have posted them as the facts being they are allegations and it’s unclear if the charge relates to those allegations, or to a seperate incident. Either way you cut it up though it doesn’t look great for Taylor and I don’t ever want to see him in a swans jumper again. And we should be far more concerned about the welfare of the victim than that of the perpetrator.


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